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Following you can read the Christmas Message 2021 of His Beatitude Patriarch Mor Ignatius Youssef III YOUNAN, Patriarch of Antioch for Syriac Catholic Church:
Nr. Prot.: 185/2021
Date: 23/12/2021
CHRISTMAS MESSAGE 2021
To our brothers, Archbishops and Bishops, Fathers of our Holy Synod of Antioch,
To the Priests, Deacons, religious and consecrated men and women,
To all the faithful people in Lebanon, the Middle East and the Church of Extension
Peaceand love in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ:
«ܝܶܫܽܘܥ ܦܳܪܽܘܩܰܢ»
“Jesus, Our Savior”
“Because he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1: 21)
On this blessed Christmas, we are happy to present our warmest congratulations to all of you, dear members of the clergy and faithful of our Syriac Catholic Church in Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, the countries of the Arab Gulf, in the Holy Land, Jordan, Egypt, Turkey, Europe, both Americas and Australia.
We celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the incarnate God, the only begotten Son of God, who was born by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary. At that night of his birth, Heaven visited the earth to tell us about the great gift of God bestowed on us human who went astray.
We pray full of hope Jesus our beloved Savior, who was born in a manger in Bethlehem, to grant us his blessings, and deliver us from all diseases and dangers. May He inspire every one of us how to keep going strong and maker of peace in the New Year to come. We all look forward to nurturing the Christmas gifts, such the spiritual serenity, unity and love in families, communities as well as in many of our tormented countries.
We sing on Wednesday Syriac matiness this verse:
«ܫܽܘܒܚܳܐ ܠܶܗ ܠܰܐܒܳܐ ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ ܕܫܰܕܰܪ ܠܰܒܪܶܗ ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ܆ ܘܰܒܥܽܘܒܳܐ ܕܰܟܝܳܐ ܘܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐ ܢܚܶܬ ܘܰܫܪܳܐ ܩܰܕܺܝܫܳܐܺܝܬ܆ ܗܘܳܐ ܓܶܝܪ ܡܶܢܰܢ ܘܰܐܟܘܳܬܰܢ ܕܰܚܢܰܢ ܢܶܗܘܶܐ ܐܰܟܘܳܬܶܗ܆ ܗܘܳܐ ܒܨܶܒܝܳܢܶܗ ܒܰܪܢܳܫܳܐ ܕܢܶܥܒܶܕ ܠܰܢ ܒܢܰܝ̈ܳܐ ܠܰܐܒܽܘܗ̱ܝ܆ ܘܫܰܘܬܳܦ̈ܶܐ ܠܪܽܘܚܳܐ ܕܩܽܘܕܫܳܐ».
“Glory to the Holy Father, who sent his Holy Son, so he came down and dwelled in the pure and holy womb, becoming one of us and like us, so that we
become like him. He became man by his own will, to make us children of his Father and participants in the Holy Spirit”.
Yes, the birth of Jesus our Savior changed the course of all human history and gave our humanity a goal to achieve, which is the reconciliation and union with God the Creator and Father of all in the Holy Spirit.
On this holy night, a light appeared from the sky to erase the darkness of the earth. “The glory of the Lord shines around them” (Luke 2: 9), and this light is nothing other than “the grace of God revealed as a source of salvation to all human” (Titus 2:11). Jesus by his divine love made us free to change our disobedient life, to renew the course of our sinful history and reward us with true peace and joy. He is the Divine Word, God Incarnate, Emmanuel who became flesh and dwelled among us.
We are urged to believe in the Wonder of Christmas, the divine love that delivers us and keeps us healthy. We will promise Jesus to remain faithful to him despite all kinds of temptations, to courageously witness to his liberating grace, in order to overcome doubt and banish hypocrisy, arrogance and hatred. Our freedom as believers in the mystery of the Incarnation is to allow the Holy Spirit to fulfill his grace in us, so that we spread the name of Jesus and his salvation wherever we go.
O Jesus, our God and Savior, we come to you on this Christmas day with a hymn of hope, gratitude and praise. Your incarnation within us is the supreme gift to every one of us. Crown all the earth with your peace and your blessings on all mankind. Forgive us our trespasses, and grant us the abundance of life in union with Your Heavenly Father and Your Holy Spirit forever.
As a sign of our paternal affection, we grant you all our apostolic blessing: May the One God Almighty bless you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, Amen.
ܡܫܺܝܚܳܐ ܐܶܬܺܝܠܶܕ... ܗܰܠܶܠܽܘܝܰܗ
Merry and Peaceful Christmas, Happy and Blessed 2022!
Ignatius Youssef III YOUNAN
Patriarch of Antioch for Syriac Catholic Church
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